Fuel light comes on sometimes

[westy57]

I have an 86 GL1200 sEI and every now and then the fuel light will Flash on. I don't know why sometimes when I hit a bump or no reason at all the bike dies and I still have lights and ignition but only cranks and will not start. I suspect it's a fuel pump problem or some safety device that I am not aware of. Sometimes I can take the key turn it on and off and then it will fire up other times it won't. Once I kept trying until the battery ran dead I pushed it home hope the charger up to it and it fired right up. Can anybody tell me where would the best place to start looking for a problem would be? The bike runs like a top but I never know when this will happen and it has left me on the roadside maybe 20 minutes or more and then we'll start up again I thought maybe it was a fuel pump getting hot but sometimes it will do it 30 seconds after taking off from a cold start. I'm sure it is some sensor sticking but I am unfamiliar with all the devices on this motorcycle. My wife said she will not ride with me until I get it fixed. After much contemplation I made the decision to try and fix it. Please do not tell my wife I made that statement

[Rednaxs60]

You mention the fuel light will flash on. There are two fuel lights. Is it the fuel light or the fuel system light? The difference between the two is that the fuel system light is similar to the check engine light in a car, it indicates that there is an electrical fault in the CFI system. If it is this light, do not turn the key off when the engine stops. Look for the ECU error codes.

The fuel light only indicates low fuel in the tank, generally comes on with 4-5 litres remaining, and does not affect engine operation until you run out of fuel.

I’d recommend finding a copy of the OEM service manual, electrical troubleshooting manual and the supplement for your bike. Without these, you will not be able to trouble shoot your bike.

The fuel pump is controlled by a relay that is controlled by the ECU that you find under the rear trunk. It should come on for 2-3 seconds when the key is turned on then stop, this is to prime the fuel system at approximately 35 PSI. It starts automatically when the engine starts.

There is a small cone filter in the inlet to the fuel pump, and a system filter on the fuel pump discharge side located on the left side of the bike.

What is needed to know is which fuel light comes on.

Good luck.

[nwkwinger]

If you can't determine for sure that it's an EFI issue, then I would suggest to look at your grounds. I used to have a 84 Mustang with CFI. It would intermittently die like you are saying that your bike is. I was convinced that it was in the CFI system. One time it died while taking off from a stop light. I had a friend riding with me. He figured out that the starter solenoid on the fender was loose so it wasn't always getting a good ground. He wiggled the solenoid and it started up. After that, I tightened the solenoid blot up and ran a ground wire directly to the negative battery post and never had another problem with stalling or stuttering.

[westy57]

That is something I plan to do once again just start cleaning all the connections I can reach. With the help of this site I replaced the reg/rect but it only now reads 13.1v--12.9v but has kept battery charged so has'nt been a problem

[julimike54]

Bike dieing could be intermittent dog bone fuse, intermittent ignition switch contacts, intermittent 'kill' switch contacts or a host of different intermittent electrical connections......

Good luck

[westy57]

Just found I do have 2 fuel lights!!! It is not the fuel system light so I should be good there! Thank you I feel better already!I was given the bike and have been getting familiar with it, but this is my first Goldwing and it's old and I never seen so many gadgets and wires in my life. A man told me about a tip over switch could be sticking I wonder if anybody would chime in some opinions? I don't even know where the fuel filter is on this thing I watched one YouTube video and seen his GL 1200 pump had points. I thought this is it i'll clean the points and my fuel pump wasn't where his was. All I know to do is clean plugs and connections as that's what it acts like randomly occurring heat or cold not being a factor but bumpy roads are. When I take the tank off and get you all the connection is it is advisable to spray any type of cleaner in the plugs. I already bypassed thanks to this site the main plug that runs to the rectifier regulator and I also soldered thanks to this site the wires that come directly from the stator. I bought $150 after replacing tree China ones and it did away with the black sensor wire but I'm still concerned that it only puts out 12.9v-13.1v I did not know when the fan kicks in if it limit the pull of the electronic fuel pump. I have bypass the wishbone fuse and there are two fuses behind the battery but will check them also. I'm sure it's a simple problem I just didn't know where to look first and it won't stay broke long enough for me to find it. If it would break at home at first start then I could start eliminating problems but it does not it's always along the roadside. I've enjoyed the bike and the fact that it was given to me the price is right and I Pastor a start up church and it's a great way just to get away for an hour or so but when I do I never know where I'll be pushing this thing home from and again it runs so well but this one flaw is keeping me from really enjoying a long ride.

[Rednaxs60]

To start the fuel filter is on the left side of the bike just above the engine. Attached pic of location, ‘85/’86 fuelies are the same:

No points on these bikes, electronic ignition. The fuel injection is the same for these engines as for any fuel injected engine. Honda, in essence, stuffed a Honda Civic into this bike.

To get at the plugs you need to take off some of the chrome pieces and the plugs are in the heads.

The regulator/rectifier (RR) needs to have the sense wire connected, otherwise the RR cannot compare the electrical system voltage level with the set point of approximately 14.2 VDC of the RR.

There should be a 30 amp fuse on the starter solenoid. There should also be a white wire from the starter solenoid to the electrical system for the CFI system. There is a 30 amp fuse on this wire. There should not be any other fuses around the battery.

The rad fan is separate from the fuel pump and on its own circuit. The fan comes on when the engine temp is approximately 205 deg F and turns off around 195 deg F.

PM sent.

[westy57]

TY .The r/r I bought for $150 did not require or have the black sensing wire . Is a sticking tilt cut off switch an option to check or by pass?

[Rednaxs60]

Do you have a picture of the RR, make and model?

The tilt switch as you call it, shuts off the fuel pump and engine when the bike decides to nap (bike is laid on its side or dropped) for whatever reason. It is a safety item so I would not bypass. These fuel injected models are not like the carb models. The fuel system is pressurized up to 35 PSI, and if there is a leak when the bike is on its side, a lot of fuel can be discharged in a short time.

Don't think its this switch, but more troubleshooting will have to be done to confirm the issue.

[westy57]

https://www.partsgiant.com/ricks-motors ... s?f=109689

I don't know how to post a pic. When I try to insert it does this

ricks-motorsports it has no black wire ,I think they call it a hotshot

[westy57]

[CrystalPistol]

I have …. etc ….
My wife said she will not ride with me until I get it fixed. After much contemplation I made the decision to try and fix it. Please do not tell my wife I made that statement

Secret is safe here ….

[westy57]

It is an out if I wish for sometime alone. She said she won't get on it again till it's fixed. Last time it quit on the darkside of Nashville.